One player who has proven worthy of Belichick’s trust in a big hurry is rookie cornerback Logan Ryan. The Rutgers alum had anywhere from a second to fifth-round grade among various media analysts, and there were some who simply wondered who Ryan was when New England jumped with the 83rd overall pick. At 5-foot-11 and 195 pounds, and without overwhelming trail speed, Ryan had learned to use his intelligence and instinct to make himself faster in a football sense. And he thrives in Belichick’s complex defenses from the start. Ryan’s 53.3 quarterback rating allowed is the NFL’s second-best this season — only Seattle’s Richard Sherman has made life more difficult for enemy signal-callers. Ryan has allowed just 27 catches in 53 targets for 372 yards, with five interceptions and three touchdowns. In addition, he’s a fine blitzer from the slot — he understands how disguise coverage looks and read plays to anticipate when it’s best to peel off and go after the quarterback.
The All-22: Michael Bennett, Logan Ryan among hidden gems for NFL’s top seeds | Audibles – SI.com
Great stuff as always from Doug Farrar.